Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: Learn how to cook acorn squash in two ways: sweet and savory. Both are super easy and make a fantastic side dish!
How long it takes: just over an hour
Equipment you’ll need: sharp knife, cutting board, baking sheet
Servings: 2
Learning How To Cook Squash
One of the greatest things about fall is SQUASH. I love it all: spaghetti, acorn, butternut, delicata, and so on. I’ve written a few tutorials for how to cook squash and I thought it was time to give you a guide for acorn squash. Be sure to take a look at how to make delicata squash, how to cook spaghetti squash, my comprehensive tutorial on butternut squash and kabocha squash. I cover five different methods, tell you which is my favorite and why, and I also include recipes for each.
I know cooking a squash can be somewhat intimidating but it’s really so easy! I cover one method in this post but with two variations: sweet and savory. (I’ll let you in on a secret, the sweet variation is my favorite.) If you’re looking to stuff the acorn squash, use the savory prep method to get a great layer of flavor before adding whatever stuffing you have in mind.
These are not fancy techniques; we’re covering the basics. Once you get the basics down, you can spice things up a little. We’ll talk about that in a bit.
Did you know you can make butternut squash in the slow cooker? It’s a total game-changer for soups and butternut squash mash. We also love stuffing squash! Try pizza stuffed spaghetti squash or chicken fajita stuffed spaghetti squash.
“My first time cooking (and eating) acorn squash. I’m glad I chose this recipe. Delicious!”
How to Prepare Acorn Squash (Overview)
- WASH the squash.
- Slice in half stem to end. (Read my long version for tips!)
- Scoop out the seeds.
- Season the squash.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes at 400°F or until fork tender.
Detailed Instructions & Tips
Wash the squash. I know people don’t always wash the peel or skin of a fruit or vegetable but when you cut the squash in half, the knife goes through the (dirty) skin and into the flesh part that you’re going to eat. So now it’s dirty, like the skin. Scrub the outside well using plain water and a vegetable brush (I like this one).
Cut the squash. This can be tricky because those suckers are HARD.
Cutting Tip
Microwave the whole squash for 3 minutes and then let it cool enough so you can handle it. Microwaving the squash softens the skin, making it easier to cut. It adds a few minutes to your prep time but if you’re saving your fingers, it’s worth it.
If you don’t want to microwave the squash, carefully cut off the stem end of the squash, and then set it on that end so you have a flat, steady surface when you cut the squash in half.
Remove the seeds and stringy membranes. Make your life SO easy and use a grapefruit spoon. The serrated edge is perfect for scraping out the insides of squash.
Season the squash. Now you have your squash ready to season. I want you to know how to cook acorn squash two different ways: sweet and savory. Once you have the squash halves prepped, line a sheet pan with parchment paper. (I like these parchment paper sheets because they don’t curl up.)
Sweet Acorn Squash
Melted butter + brown sugar (or coconut sugar or maple syrup)
Rub the inside surfaces of the squash with melted butter, then sprinkle on the sweetener of your choice. Bake and enjoy!
Savory Acorn Squash
Olive oil + salt + pepper
Rub the inside surfaces of the squash with olive oil or melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Bake and enjoy!
You can! I personally prefer not to, as I find it slightly tough (compared to a delicata squash, for example). However, when roasted, the skin does soften and is completely edible. However, the cooked flesh peels away from the skin easily with a fork, if you choose not to eat the skin. Often, an acorn squash half is a just the right size for a single serving, so I like to serve it as is (see the photo below).
Once you’ve mastered this basic skill of how to cook acorn squash, there are many ways you can vary the recipe to make it your own. Here are a few ideas but I’m sure you’ll think of lots more!
- Sweet variations: Add a ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon to each half. If you want, add ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg as well. Instead of brown sugar, you can use maple syrup or coconut sugar.
- Savory variations: Add ¼ teaspoon chili powder or smoked paprika to each half (or both!). Give it an Italian twist if you like. Add ¼ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon basil, and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese to each half.
- Sweet and spicy combo: Add ¼ teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne to each half, along with melted butter and brown sugar.
Uncooked squash: Squash lasts for quite awhile (months, even!) at room temperature. If it has soft mushy spots or is slimy and mushy when you cut it open, those are good indicators that it has gone bad and should be discarded.
Cooked squash: Refrigerate roasted squash in a covered container for up to 4 days. It can be frozen for up to a year. If you happen to have a lot of squash (maybe you have a garden or scored a great deal at the farm market!), this is a great way to preserve it.
Reheat: Reheat leftovers for 45 to 90 seconds in the microwave until warm. You can also use the oven (400°F for about 10 minutes or until warm), or the air fryer (380°F for about 5 minutes, or until heated through).
How To Cook Acorn Squash
Ingredients
Savory version:
- 1 acorn squash (or as many as you like)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ⅛ teaspoon salt (more if desired)
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper to taste (more if desired)
Sweet version:
- 1 acorn squash
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar or coconut sugar (more if desired)
Instructions
- Place oven rack right below the middle position in your oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Wash the outside of the squash. Cut squash in half from the stem to the bottom (see note). Don’t try to cut through the stem; when you get to the stem, just crack the squash in half and it will separate.1 acorn squash
- Scrape out seeds and stringy bits. I use a grapefruit spoon for this!
- Season squash. For savory, rub inside with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. For sweet, rub inside with melted butter and sprinkle with brown or coconut sugar. Place on prepared baking sheet, cut side up.1 tablespoon olive oil, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper to taste, 1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon brown sugar or coconut sugar
- Place in preheated oven and roast for 50 to 60 minutes or until very tender. I test it by poking it with a fork. There should be little to no resistance.
- Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Pro tip: To make slicing the squash in half easier, microwave the whole squash for 3 to 5 minutes, and cool until you can easily handle the squash.
- Storage: Refrigerate roasted squash in a covered container for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to one year (thaw before reheating). Uncooked squash can be stored in your pantry for a month or two (make sure it’s dry before you store it and remove it from plastic).
- Reheating: Reheat leftovers for 45 to 90 seconds in the microwave until warm. You can also use the oven (400°F for about 10 minutes or until warm), or the air fryer (380°F for about 5 minutes, or until heated through).
- Nutrition information below is calculated for the savory version.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
No offense, I’m not against washing the squash but if the three minute microwaving doesn’t kill any bacteria or virus on the squash the 60
Minute oven at 400° should!
No offense taken…it’s more an issue of dirt (sand/soil) since they grow on the ground. I don’t like the grittiness of the dirt to be moved to the inside of my squash, so I choose to give them a quick scrub. Feel free to do whatever you’d like, though!
Thanks for the excellent info and especially the tips about washing the squash and microwaving it for 3 minutes to soften it for cutting. I’m not very strong and have had several kitchen mishaps, so softening the squash first is a great idea!
I’m glad it was helpful!
Thank you Rachel,
I cooked my first acorn squash with brown sugar and butter and it was deliciously perfect! I’m learning to cook at the age of 60 so I was both a little surprised and kinda proud that it came out so awesome.
Be well and safe – Mike Gill of Madbury NH
So glad this recipe was helpful! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Hi Michael,
Good to know I’m not the only one learning to cook at age 60 (well… 61 now!). Spent all my life in an office in front of a computer, and am now finally learning to cook. These basic instructions are so helpful!
Bake the acorn squash up or down?
You can do either, but if you’re going to fill it with brown sugar and butter, you’ll have to do it cut side up.
This was my first time cooking. Only cooked one since I was a little skeptical. Turned out great! I tried 1/2 sweet and the other 1/2 savory. Both sides were delish!
I love that you tried both! So glad you liked them!
“Think about this. When you cut the squash in half, the knife goes through the (dirty) skin and into the flesh part that you’re going to eat. So now it’s dirty, like the skin.“
Then you cook it for an hour at 400°. I think you’ll be OK.
It’s more an issue of dirt (sand/soil) since they grow on the ground. I don’t like the grittiness of the dirt to be moved to the inside of my squash, so I choose to give them a quick scrub. Feel free to do whatever you’d like, though!
Easy to do recipe! Thank you for sharing!
P. S. Don’t through those seeds away! Better than pumpkin seeds for roasting!
You’re welcome, I’m glad it was helpful! Definitely roasting the seeds next time I make squash!
You never say if you place them cut side up or down on the pan.
I do these cut side up, especially the sweet one, since it’s filled with butter and sugar. Sometimes I’ll roast squash cut side down, too. But then you’ll want to flip it, add the seasonings and cook for a little longer.
I think you’re overcooking the poor things. I find that a little water, in the pan they cook in, and about 40 minutes and you’ll be a lot happier with your results. The sides don’t cave in so much as they did in the video. I’m 75 now, retired professional, so I have a lot of cooking experience. Hope this helps! Btw…I like both methods, and acorn squash was my lifelong favorite, until the Delicata came along. I do those, the same way as the acorn, not in raunchy, tough pieces like so many recipes!
I usually just cook them until they’re fork tender, which truthfully depends on how large of a squash you have and the heat of your oven (I just got a new oven and it’s WAY better than my old one).
I tried one half sweet and the other half savory tonight. My 5yo wanted only the savory, and the rest of the family liked both but preferred the sweet. Delicious!!
While the squash baked, I cleaned the seeds and soaked them in salt water about 15 minutes. After removing the squash from the oven, I reduced the temp to 350°F and baked the seeds (drained) for about 10 minutes. My kiddos loved those too!
Yum, perfect! Thanks for the comment!